Display device particularly for electronic display of prices

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a display device, particularly of use for holding electronic displays, or also for the arrangement of simple labels. Said device is of application in shops, stores or other places, for the presentation of information to customers, and, in particular, the price of articles. The display device may be directed upwards or downwards, according to a suitable viewing angle and may, furthermore, be of modular construction, according to the type of fixing clamp ( 11 ) for the shelving and the element for display.

RELATED U.S. APPLICATIONS

Not applicable.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

REFERENCE TO MICROFICHE APPENDIX

Not applicable.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a display device, used in particular for holding electronic display units or still for placing simple tags.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Display devices and systems are used mainly in shops, department stores or others, in order to exhibit tags containing information, in particular the price of the items offered to customers.

Generally, the items are stored on two types of tiers in selling areas. They may simply be laid on a tier shelf or still be hanging from hooks in the form of a supporting bar, mounted cantilever to a wall and exhibiting at the end thereof a perpendicular stop bar.

Display devices are generally interconnected on two types of matching interconnection studs. They are either fixed in a rail, also called a shelf stud, in the case of a simple shelf, or they are fixed to said perpendicular bar of said hooks, still called hooked studs.

According to the height of the bracket of the items, for ergonomic and visibility purposes, said display devices should ideally be seen by the consumers according to an average position which ought to remain the same for all the items. The consumer should be able to access the information without having to squat to read the tag and in particular the price of the items displayed on a lower bracket, not to come closer to the lowest bracket.

It is therefore advantageous that the prices should therefore be displayed and oriented downwards in the case of the upper shelves and oriented upwards in the case of the lower shelves in order to be seen in an average position.

A display device is known, capable of being fixed to a rail or a stud, and has exhibiting means for being tilted according to an intermediate position oriented upwards. Nevertheless, in the case of shelves fitted with several levels, as can be found in department stores, such a device has limited variability in orientation.

Moreover, if it is suited for orienting the price tag according to an appropriate vision angle for certain lower shelves, it does not enable directing, in particular downwards, the price tag for the upper shelves.

Besides, such display devices are compatible only with a stud for interconnection with a rail and cannot be adapted to other existing fastening brackets, such as hanging hooks.

Moreover, the price and other pieces of information may be shown as of now by electronic display units, which may have different dimensions according to the device at hand. Such electronic display devices do not have means to suit the different configurations of display units.

Thus, the head of a department who has several elements of different structures to be displayed on different types of a fastening stud, according to the available devices of the state of the art, should be able to choose different display devices for each combination, each element to be displayed by stud.

The present invention then intends to remedy the above shortcomings. In particular, an object of the invention is to provide a display device, capable of being oriented upwards or downwards according to an appropriate vision angle and which can be modulated, moreover, according to the type of fastening stud and of element to be displayed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a display device which may be assembled easily and rapidly.

Another object of the invention is to provide a display device exhibiting antitheft fastening means.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the following description, only given by way of example, and without limitation thereto.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention, the display device, in particular for electronic display of the prices, capable of directing an element to be displayed according to a requested vision angle, includes:

-   -   first fastening means to a stud for interconnection with the         tier,     -   second fastening means,     -   an intermediate part capable of co-operating with said second         fastening means, said part exhibiting means for holding said         element to be displayed, and     -   rotation means and indexing means interfacing between said first         fastening means to the interconnection stud and said second         fastening means.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be understood better when reading the following description accompanied by the appended drawings, which are integral parts thereof.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a display device according to the invention mounted on a rail according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a device according to the invention mounted on a hooked stud according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a perspective top view of a device complying with the invention according to a third embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a perspective bottom view of the device according to the invention illustrated on FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the device according to the invention illustrated on FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view along the line VI-VI according to the invention illustrated on FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a side view of a device mounted on a hooked stud complying with the invention according to a fourth embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a bottom perspective view of the device according to the invention illustrated on FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a top perspective view of the device according to the invention illustrated on FIG. 7.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of fastening means to a rail by a swivel cam.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a jumper illustrated on FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a swivel cam illustrated on FIG. 10.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a display device, in particular for electronic display of prices, capable of orienting an element to be displayed according to a vision angle.

The device comprises, first of all, on the one hand first fastening means 1, 3, 30 to an interconnection stud 11, 23, 24 to the tier, and on the other hand, second fastening means 18, in particular to the displayed element.

Moreover, according to the invention, the device includes rotation means 4, 5 and/or indexing means 17, 22 acting as an interface between said first fastening means to the interconnection stud and said second fastening of the element to be displayed.

According to a first embodiment of the device complying with the invention, in particular illustrated on FIG. 1, said first fastening means comprise a jumper 1 exhibiting a C-shaped structure 2, 17, held and capable of sliding with an Q-shaped structure of a rail 11 fixed to the tier.

The C-shaped structure may notably be in the form of two legs 2 going away from the back of a jumper 1, the ends of the legs 2 being held with the Q-shaped structure of a rail 11 by profiles 12.

This fastening system to a shelf stud may advantageously when implementing the information to be displayed, notably price tags, be displaced and slide over the rail, whereas the display device is located in front of the row of items affected.

According to an embodiment illustrated on FIGS. 3 to 6, in particular, when the device is located correctly on the shelf stud, the first fastening means 1 may be interconnected so as to prevent any displacement of the said jumper 1 along said rail 11 with braking means 13. These braking means 13 constitute besides an antitheft means.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the braking means are in the form of a rotary lock 13 preventing any displacement of said jumper 1 along the rail 11. Said rotary lock 13 is formed by a cylindrical body 15 exhibiting at the lower end thereof a base 14 of greater dimension. Said base 14 is generally rectangular in shape with two greater sides of length slightly greater than the distance between the legs 2 of the jumper 1. Both smaller sides are shorter than the distance separating the edges of the profiles 12 of the rail 11. This rotary lock 13 is situated in the recess created between the legs 2 of the jumper 1, the back of the jumper 17 and the rail 11.

Said cylindrical body 15 of the rotary lock 13 goes through and protrudes from the back of the jumper 17 through the upper end of the cylindrical body 16. The rotary lock 13 exhibits at that end a head capable of accommodating an actuation key. Said head may in particular exhibit a print 16, in particular hexagonal in shape, capable of co-operating with an Allen key.

Said lock 13, when turned, compresses the lower end of said legs 2 against the profiles 12 of said rail 11, by means of a chamfer at the base 14. The action exerted by the legs 2 on said profiles 12 generates, thanks to a friction phenomenon, transversal loads to the line of action, which oppose any displacement of the jumper 1 along said rail 11.

According to another embodiment of a fastening to a rail, illustrated on FIGS. 10 to 12, the jumper 1′ is not held directly by the profiles 12 of the rail 11. The fastening means of the jumper 1′ to the rail 11 are then formed, in a known fashion, by a swivel cam 80 exhibiting a base 82 generally rectangular in shape, and capable of being blocked in the rail 11. Said base 82 exhibits two smaller sides of length smaller than the distance between the edges of the profiles 12 of the rail 11, so as to be inserted longitudinally in the rail.

Said base 82 exhibits two larger sides of length grater than the distance between the edges of the profiles 12 of the rail 11 and smaller than the maximum width in the rail.

According to an embodiment, said base 82 exhibits, in particular the ends thereof, elevating means 83 formed by chamfered sections and capable of cooperating, when the cam 80 is rotated by 90°, by friction with the lower wings of the profiles 12 of the rail 11.

A cylindrical body in two sections 84, 86 rises from said base 82 and constitutes at a narrowed section 85 a bearing surface for the jumper 1′.

The upper section 86 of the cylindrical body exhibits radially two ears diametrically opposed, which may run through a corresponding aperture 40 in the back of the jumper 1′. When the cam 80 is rotated, said ears 81 protrude with the back of the jumper 1′ for retaining said jumper. The end of the upper section 86 of the cylindrical body, may advantageously exhibit a print 16, in particular capable of accommodating an Allan key.

Advantageously, the jumper 1′ may show two longitudinal edges 2′ capable of co-operating with the edges of the profiles 12 of the rail 11, so as to centre said jumper 1′ to the rail 11.

According to another embodiment of the device complying with the invention, in particular illustrated on FIG. 2, said first fastening means may be fixed to a hooked stud. They are then in the form of a resilient jaw 3 inside which the stop bar 23 perpendicular to the supporting bar 24 of a hooked stud, is inserted by elastic deformation.

This elastic jaw 3 is generally cylindrical in shape and exhibits an aperture in the longitudinal direction of smaller dimension than the inner diameter of the cylindrical jaw 3. The inner diameter of said jaw 3 may advantageously be slightly smaller than the diameter of the stop bar 23, so as to maintain a pressure against said bar.

Moreover, according to an embodiment, in order to prevent any rotation of the first fastening means 3 around said stop bar 23, the jaw 3 exhibits a surface 20 whereupon the end of the supporting bar 24 and a stop 19 abut to prevent any rotation in the other direction, which also contacts said supporting bar 24. The device complying with the invention exhibits rotation means interfacing between the first fastening means and the second fastening means.

According to an embodiment of the device according to the invention, the rotation means are formed by an articulation axis 5 interconnected with the first fastening means 1, 3 and an articulation piece 4, rotating freely around said articulation axis 5. According to this embodiment, the element to be displayed may be oriented continuously relative to said first fastening means.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the articulation axis is in the form of a transversal bar 5 fitted with two flanks 6 going away from said first fastening means.

The device according to the invention may exhibit indexing means 7, 22 interfacing between the first fastening means and the second fastening means.

According to an embodiment, the indexing means are situated on the articulation piece 4, which is in the form of a toothed pinion 7, mounted to rotate freely around an articulation axis, in particular the bar 5 interconnected with the first fastening means, the teeth of said pinion 7 co-operating with a ratchet 22 slaved to the first fastening means. Thus, the number of teeth defines the number of angular indexing positions of the element to be displayed.

According to another embodiment, in order to be assembled by elastic deformation, also called a clip system, the toothed pinion exhibits a straight aperture 8 along the rotation axis of dimension 9, smaller than the inner diameter 11 of said toothed pinion 7, so that said transversal bar 5 may be inserted by elastic deformation inside said pinion 7.

According to an embodiment as illustrated on FIG. 3 or 7, said second fastening means 18 are interconnected with at least one protrusion 25 going away from said articulation piece. In case when the articulation piece is in the form of a toothed pinion 7 with an aperture 8, there, at least one protrusion is situated advantageously close to the edge of the aperture 8 in order to keep maximum angular clearance.

In spite of the presence of this aperture 8, said toothed pinion 7 may exhibit advantageously sufficient radial denture at least over an arc of circle greater than half the circumference of said pinion 7 for indexing an angular position allowing for a clearance greater than 1800. This feature enables significant variability of the element to be displayed and in particular downwards and upwards orientations with reference to a horizontal plane. Thus, the element to be displayed may be oriented downwards for high shelves and upwards for low shelves.

The device according to the invention exhibits second fastening means 18.

According to an embodiment as illustrated on FIG. 7, said second fastening means 18 are in the form of a clip system. This clip system may be advantageously irreversible so as to be burglar-proof.

According to this embodiment, the clip system, for each protrusion 25, takes on the form of two opposite teeth 29 protruding forwards and on both sides of said projection 25, generally triangular and rectangular in shape. The piece co-operating with this clip system exhibits two female sockets co-operating with the teeth 29 and two flanks 28, said flanks exhibiting a rim 32 co-operating with the teeth 29. This clip system is then inserted by deformation of both flanks 28, said rim 32 letting through and contacting the hypotenuse of the teeth 29, and abutting at the end of the stroke against the ridge perpendicular to the protrusion 25 of the teeth 29 in order to prohibit any recall.

According to another embodiment as illustrated on FIG. 3, the second fastening means 18 are in the form of a rectangular piece 27 perpendicular to a protrusion 25. The element to be fastened then exhibits two profiles 21, the rectangular piece being inserted between these profiles 21 and the back of the element to be displayed and is capable of sliding up to a suitable position.

The second fastening means 18 may then be in several forms and may cooperate with an element to be displayed. This involves that said elements to be displayed exhibit fastening means which are compatible with said second fastening means 18. To remedy this problem, according to another embodiment of the device complying with the invention, an intermediate piece 16 interfacing between the articulation piece and the element to be displayed co-operates with the second fastening means 8 and has means for holding an element to be displayed. This intermediate piece 26 is adaptable according to the element to be displayed.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the intermediate piece exhibits a bottom 30 and two flanks 31, the element to be displayed being encased by deformation of the flanks 31 against said bottom 30.

Thus, the device according to the invention enables directing an element to be displayed along a suitable vision angle, upwards or downwards, and may be advantageously modular, which may be altered indefinitely according to the interconnection stud and the element to be displayed.

The head of a department may in particular choose among several parts exhibiting the first fastening means according to the interconnection stud, among several intermediate pieces 6 according to the element to be displayed and a stock of standard articulation pieces 4. The user may then assemble a display device relative to the interconnection stud and the element to be displayed.

A plastic matter may be used for the manufacture of the pieces of this device, the plastic matter having elastic features adapted to the clip system. These pieces may then be produced in large quantities and at low cost by common manufacturing and processing cycles of the plastic matter; such as injection-moulding, in particular for thermoplastics.

Obviously, other embodiments, understandable to the man of the art, could have been contemplated without departing from the framework of the present application as defined in the claims below. 

1. A display device for electronic display of prices, directing an element to be displayed according to a requested vision angle, comprising: a first fastening means for interconnection to a stud with a tier; a second fastening means; an intermediate part, co-operating with said second fastening means, said intermediate part exhibiting means for holding said element to be displayed; and a rotation means and indexing means interfacing between said first fastening means to the interconnection stud and said second fastening means.
 2. A device according to claim 1, wherein said first fastening means comprise a jumper exhibiting a C-shaped structure, held and capable of sliding with an Q-shaped structure of a rail fixed to the tier.
 3. A device according to claim 2, wherein said first fastening means comprise braking means, preventing any displacement of said jumper along the rail.
 4. A device according to claim 3, wherein said braking means are comprised of a rotary lock, said rotary lock being comprised a cylindrical body exhibiting a base of greater dimension inserted in a recess created between legs of the jumper, a back of a jumper and a bottom of the rail, said cylindrical body protruding from the back of the jumper through an aperture, said cylindrical body protruding from the aperture having a head accommodating an actuation key, in hexagonal a shape, and rotating said base with a certain angle compressing said legs of the jumper against the walls of said rail.
 5. A device according to claim 1, wherein said first fastening means comprise an elastic jaw having an elastic deformation of a stop bar inserted therein perpendicular to a supporting bar of a hooked stud.
 6. A device according to claim 5, wherein said elastic jaw has a surface and a stop, making contact with said supporting bar of said hooked stud, preventing rotation of said jaw around the perpendicular stop bar of said hooked stud.
 7. A device according to claim 1, wherein said rotation means are comprised of: an articulation axis interconnected with said first fastening means; and an articulation piece rotating freely around said articulation axis.
 8. A device according to claim 7, wherein said articulation axis is comprised of a transversal bar fitted with two flanks going away from said first fastening means.
 9. A device according to claim 7, wherein said indexing means are situated on said articulation piece being comprised of a toothed pinion, teeth of said pinion co-operating with a ratchet slaved to said first fastening means.
 10. A device according to claim 8, wherein said toothed pinion has a straight aperture along a rotation axis of dimension, smaller than an inner diameter of said toothed pinion, said transversal bar being inserted by elastic deformation inside said pinion.
 11. A device according to claim 7, wherein said second fastening means are interconnected with at least one protrusion going away from said articulation piece.
 12. A device according to claim 11, wherein said second fastening means are comprised of a system of clips.
 13. A device according to claim 12, wherein the clip system, for each protrusion, is comprised of two opposite teeth protruding forwards and on both sides of said projection, said clip system being located according to female sockets and co-operating by elastic deformation with two flanks, said flanks having a rim contacting the teeth.
 14. A device according to claim 11, wherein said second fastening means are comprised of a rectangular piece perpendicular to a protrusion, said rectangular piece being inserted and held by two profiles of the element to be displayed.
 15. A device according to claim 1, wherein said element to be displayed is encased into the intermediate part against a bottom thereof and between two flanks of the intermediate part.
 16. A device according to claim 1, wherein said first fastening means are comprised of a swivel cam locked by friction at profiles of a rail. 